WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.620 Well, it's certainly good to be here and have this time of fellowship with you and just trust that the Lord will bless our time together. 00:00:12.179 --> 00:00:23.400 I've kind of been keeping up with your journey as a church through Charles and Ellie and Brian and have been impressed that you are now part of a conference or a denomination. 00:00:23.399 --> 00:00:37.659 Because we've spent years in ministry and my parents ahead of me in ministry and we always found the support and the encouragement and the guidance of being part of a larger group was very helpful. 00:00:38.179 --> 00:00:43.899 Because my parents' ministry and my ministry was mostly in smaller communities, smaller churches. 00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:51.579 And so having this wider body to support and to guide and to encourage was invaluable to us. 00:00:51.579 --> 00:01:01.519 And part of the time that I was involved with conference work as well as pastoring was when I was involved with our board of missions. 00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:10.519 And one of the trends that we noticed, we would see quite often, that's fairly common now, is shorter term mission work. 00:01:11.140 --> 00:01:19.819 So people would go out for either a period of weeks or a few months or maybe a year or two and be involved in some kind of mission work. 00:01:19.819 --> 00:01:27.059 And very often we found that the involvement was just as valuable or perhaps more valuable for the person that went out. 00:01:27.479 --> 00:01:33.280 It was a life-changing experience to go out to live in another culture, to work and serve in another culture. 00:01:34.139 --> 00:01:41.939 One of the things that we really emphasized when we were going to be sending out a short-term mission worker 00:01:41.939 --> 00:01:49.399 was that they needed to have the backing of their local congregation. 00:01:50.319 --> 00:01:56.859 It was important to us that when someone went out to the mission field, that they had a support team standing behind them. 00:01:57.659 --> 00:02:00.299 That they had a good relationship with the local church. 00:02:00.780 --> 00:02:06.079 That they were someone that had already been a witness for Christ in their own community 00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:09.840 so that they could be effective when they went off into another culture. 00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:14.740 And then it was very gratifying if we saw somebody that went out 00:02:14.740 --> 00:02:19.479 and they really connected well with the people that they went to serve. 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:23.419 They won the hearts of the people there and they had an effective ministry. 00:02:24.079 --> 00:02:29.099 You know, even that I had my own experience as a young person. 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:30.460 Finished Bible college. 00:02:30.460 --> 00:02:33.580 Having questions about what was next in life. 00:02:33.879 --> 00:02:35.820 Going off to Nicaragua for six weeks. 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:42.319 And that ended up becoming more mission involvement for several years for my wife and myself later on. 00:02:43.439 --> 00:02:48.520 And so it was an important step in following God and in growing. 00:02:50.040 --> 00:02:57.100 This morning, I'm going to talk to you about a short-term missionary that we read about in Scripture. 00:02:57.099 --> 00:03:01.759 Now, we might think that short-term missions is a fairly recent concept, 00:03:01.939 --> 00:03:06.159 but actually, it's pretty well as old as the church itself. 00:03:07.180 --> 00:03:10.799 And so our scripture this morning comes from Philippians chapter 2. 00:03:12.180 --> 00:03:16.859 And there's just five verses there that talk about a short-term missionary. 00:03:18.139 --> 00:03:20.459 Philippians chapter 2, verse 25. 00:03:20.460 --> 00:03:26.620 Now, the setting is that the Apostle Paul, who's writing this letter to the church in Philippi, 00:03:27.340 --> 00:03:29.840 is under house arrest in Rome. 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:33.860 He follows kind of at the end of his earthly ministry. 00:03:34.620 --> 00:03:35.900 He's imprisoned in Rome. 00:03:36.819 --> 00:03:44.080 And he has established church congregations throughout a large part of the Roman world. 00:03:44.640 --> 00:03:46.800 And so he has all these connections. 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:51.380 And one of the connections he has is with the church in Philippi. 00:03:52.080 --> 00:03:56.340 And so the church in Philippi, knowing that Paul is in prison in Rome, 00:03:56.939 --> 00:04:00.020 sends someone to support him and to help him. 00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:06.500 They send him a care package, a financial care package that expresses that the church is aware of his situation. 00:04:07.000 --> 00:04:09.680 They are standing with Paul in his ministry in Rome. 00:04:09.680 --> 00:04:15.560 And because Paul does have a ministry in Rome, he's under house arrest. 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:18.400 But lots of people are coming to him. 00:04:19.199 --> 00:04:23.840 And he's gotten a special ministry with the soldiers who are guarding him. 00:04:24.780 --> 00:04:31.379 And so the soldiers that are in Caesar's household are hearing the gospel through Paul's ministry while he's a prisoner. 00:04:32.060 --> 00:04:34.579 Anyway, the church in Philippi is aware that he's there. 00:04:34.860 --> 00:04:36.379 They said, we love this fellow. 00:04:36.379 --> 00:04:39.159 He helped establish our church here in Philippi. 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:41.980 And we're going to send him our love and our support. 00:04:42.860 --> 00:04:46.159 So from Philippians chapter 2, verse 25, we read, 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:54.220 But I think it is necessary to send back to you, Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, 00:04:55.000 --> 00:05:00.120 who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:05.200 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 00:05:06.140 --> 00:05:08.260 Indeed, he was ill and almost died. 00:05:08.640 --> 00:05:15.660 But God had mercy on him, and not only on him, but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:25.400 Therefore, I am all the more eager to send him so that when you see him again, you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 00:05:26.460 --> 00:05:33.080 Welcome him in the Lord with great joy and honor men like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ, 00:05:33.740 --> 00:05:37.220 risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me. 00:05:37.220 --> 00:05:45.380 So there we have a little glimpse, and this is the only place in Scripture we read about this man, Epaphroditus. 00:05:45.760 --> 00:05:50.960 But we have a little glimpse of the connection between the church in Philippi, 00:05:51.440 --> 00:05:56.140 the messenger that they sent to Paul and to Paul in Rome. 00:05:56.139 --> 00:06:02.419 Now we find that Epaphroditus was serving. 00:06:02.939 --> 00:06:06.379 He became ill, almost to the point of death. 00:06:07.060 --> 00:06:11.779 He was a person that the church entrusted with this mission. 00:06:13.899 --> 00:06:18.599 Now it would have taken, since it was about somewhere roughly around 800 miles 00:06:18.600 --> 00:06:23.100 that Epaphroditus had to travel to get to Rome, where Paul was, 00:06:23.700 --> 00:06:26.560 it would have taken him maybe a couple of months to get there. 00:06:27.460 --> 00:06:31.840 Some of the travel would have been across land, some of it would have been by water, on ships, 00:06:32.379 --> 00:06:35.100 and it would have been quite an effort. 00:06:35.260 --> 00:06:38.680 So he would have taken a couple of months, probably, to get there. 00:06:40.760 --> 00:06:43.200 Epaphroditus, now someone mentioned to me this morning, they asked, 00:06:43.199 --> 00:06:44.939 what are you going to be talking about? 00:06:44.979 --> 00:06:48.199 And I said, short-term missions and Epaphroditus. 00:06:48.920 --> 00:06:50.420 Sounds like a Greek name. 00:06:51.079 --> 00:06:53.300 And it is. It is a Greek name. 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:59.219 And actually, the root of Epaphroditus' name comes from Aphrodite, 00:06:59.779 --> 00:07:03.599 the Greek goddess of love, fertility, and beauty. 00:07:04.339 --> 00:07:10.240 The name Epaphroditus would have been connected to somebody who was beautiful or handsome, 00:07:10.659 --> 00:07:12.120 somebody who was attractive. 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:14.920 So it wasn't a Jewish name. 00:07:16.459 --> 00:07:22.120 So the background of Epaphroditus would not have been associated with Judaism, 00:07:22.599 --> 00:07:24.899 would not have been associated with Christianity. 00:07:25.659 --> 00:07:28.079 He would have grown up in a secular setting. 00:07:28.199 --> 00:07:30.039 He would have grown up in a Greek setting. 00:07:31.819 --> 00:07:37.300 And the Greeks, according to Scripture, Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians, 00:07:37.860 --> 00:07:40.399 the Greeks seek wisdom. 00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:42.399 They think the cross is foolishness. 00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:45.199 And they seek wisdom. 00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:52.039 They think that their culture, their way of thinking is superior to Judaism, to Christianity. 00:07:52.040 --> 00:08:02.460 The connection with the goddess Aphrodite means that they would have been very devoted to passion 00:08:02.460 --> 00:08:06.500 or to secular living, to love. 00:08:07.300 --> 00:08:14.300 And so they would have possibly looked with some disdain at Jews who had this strict moral code 00:08:14.300 --> 00:08:17.120 or at Christians who had this strict moral code. 00:08:17.639 --> 00:08:21.480 And they would have thought that these believers were naive. 00:08:22.680 --> 00:08:30.360 They were maybe somewhat, well, they believed in the foolishness of God becoming a man and going to a cross and dying. 00:08:30.360 --> 00:08:34.659 That's not the way that the Greek gods would have operated. 00:08:34.779 --> 00:08:37.779 That's not the way the Greek gods would have done anything. 00:08:38.779 --> 00:08:43.279 And so they kind of looked down on followers of the way of Jesus Christ. 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:47.759 So that was a setting that Epaphroditus would have lived in. 00:08:48.079 --> 00:08:51.659 But somewhere along the line, he became a follower of Jesus Christ. 00:08:51.659 --> 00:08:54.199 He became a part of the church in Philippi. 00:08:54.699 --> 00:08:58.879 And when we read about the start of the church in Philippi in Acts chapter 16, 00:08:59.399 --> 00:09:01.139 his name doesn't come up. 00:09:01.139 --> 00:09:04.699 So we don't really know that part of the story. 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:08.419 But we know that years later, he was an active part of that church. 00:09:09.259 --> 00:09:16.139 And he was trusted by the church so much that they sent him on this mission to support Paul 00:09:16.139 --> 00:09:17.539 and to bring a gift for him. 00:09:19.480 --> 00:09:23.980 So Paul has described him, we've read already from Philippians chapter 2, 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:26.240 how this man is very selfless. 00:09:27.319 --> 00:09:29.240 He's not self-indulgent. 00:09:29.240 --> 00:09:31.240 He's not given over to earthly passions, 00:09:31.340 --> 00:09:34.340 even though his name might say that that's where he comes from. 00:09:35.080 --> 00:09:36.580 That's not who he's about. 00:09:36.960 --> 00:09:40.580 He's a sacrificial and a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:09:40.820 --> 00:09:41.980 He's willing to suffer. 00:09:42.860 --> 00:09:47.580 He's willing to even face death in his service to God and to others. 00:09:49.620 --> 00:09:54.259 And that made me think a little bit about ourselves. 00:09:54.259 --> 00:09:59.720 What kind of a name do we carry? 00:10:03.720 --> 00:10:07.259 Perhaps as a person, as you're growing up in a home, 00:10:07.740 --> 00:10:11.379 you were given a certain kind of a title or a certain kind of a name. 00:10:13.080 --> 00:10:16.360 I know a lot of us carry something from our past, 00:10:16.539 --> 00:10:19.080 maybe from school, maybe from a teacher, 00:10:19.080 --> 00:10:20.759 maybe from a parent, 00:10:21.259 --> 00:10:23.680 maybe from our buddies in the playground. 00:10:25.220 --> 00:10:27.460 We carry a certain kind of a name. 00:10:27.980 --> 00:10:30.240 We identify ourselves in a certain way. 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:36.560 Do you carry the name inadequate? 00:10:38.060 --> 00:10:40.019 Do you carry the name victim? 00:10:41.379 --> 00:10:44.200 Do you carry the name pampered? 00:10:45.340 --> 00:10:47.220 Do you carry the name jock? 00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:49.080 Popular? 00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:51.539 Self-made? 00:10:53.419 --> 00:10:56.399 We all come from a background of some kind. 00:10:56.460 --> 00:10:57.799 We all have some kind of a history, 00:10:57.799 --> 00:10:59.399 and we carry a certain name. 00:11:02.740 --> 00:11:03.899 Does your story, 00:11:04.299 --> 00:11:07.699 does the story of your life have a before name 00:11:07.699 --> 00:11:09.539 and an after name? 00:11:11.979 --> 00:11:14.899 Maybe some of you carried a name of struggle 00:11:14.899 --> 00:11:16.839 and hurt and heartache 00:11:16.839 --> 00:11:19.899 and maybe hopelessness, 00:11:20.139 --> 00:11:22.259 and then you met Jesus Christ, 00:11:22.259 --> 00:11:24.799 and you were given a new name. 00:11:27.700 --> 00:11:30.439 Maybe some of you grew up in a Christian home like I did, 00:11:31.200 --> 00:11:34.600 and you sort of knew the story of Christ all the way along, 00:11:34.700 --> 00:11:37.360 but at some point it became a personal story. 00:11:38.100 --> 00:11:41.299 And you said that one day came that time of surrender 00:11:41.299 --> 00:11:41.899 where you said, 00:11:42.539 --> 00:11:44.039 I'm not living for self anymore. 00:11:45.080 --> 00:11:47.419 I'm living for the Lord Jesus Christ now, 00:11:47.700 --> 00:11:49.299 and I have a new name. 00:11:49.299 --> 00:11:51.419 We sometimes used to sing this song, 00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:53.639 there's a new name written down in glory, 00:11:53.759 --> 00:11:54.459 and it's mine. 00:11:54.679 --> 00:11:55.699 Oh, yes, it's mine. 00:11:56.439 --> 00:11:57.479 I'm redeemed. 00:11:58.579 --> 00:12:01.240 So what kind of a name does Jesus offer 00:12:01.240 --> 00:12:03.620 to those who come to him in repentance and faith? 00:12:04.939 --> 00:12:07.719 What kind of a name does Jesus offer to you 00:12:07.719 --> 00:12:09.159 when you come to him and say, 00:12:09.839 --> 00:12:10.579 I am a sinner, 00:12:11.099 --> 00:12:13.279 I am in need of your saving grace, 00:12:13.699 --> 00:12:15.179 I receive your mercy, 00:12:15.299 --> 00:12:16.399 I receive your forgiveness, 00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:18.360 I receive the gift of eternal life? 00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:20.399 What name does he give you? 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:21.220 Let's just, 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:23.240 I'd like to get some feedback from you. 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:27.699 What name do you like about being part of the family of God? 00:12:30.819 --> 00:12:31.220 Beloved. 00:12:31.779 --> 00:12:33.939 You know, that's the first one I put on my list here. 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:37.740 What other names come to mind 00:12:37.740 --> 00:12:39.799 when you think about being a child of God? 00:12:41.079 --> 00:12:41.519 Forgiven. 00:12:41.519 --> 00:12:42.019 Righteous. 00:12:43.199 --> 00:12:43.799 Righteous. 00:12:44.179 --> 00:12:46.379 Clothed with the righteousness of Christ, right? 00:12:46.500 --> 00:12:48.500 Not righteousness that we produce on our own, 00:12:48.600 --> 00:12:51.139 but given the righteousness of Christ. 00:12:52.759 --> 00:12:53.399 Privileged. 00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:56.159 Blessed. 00:12:57.759 --> 00:12:58.360 Redeemed. 00:13:00.079 --> 00:13:02.259 A warrior. 00:13:03.139 --> 00:13:03.879 There we go. 00:13:04.139 --> 00:13:04.399 You know, 00:13:04.699 --> 00:13:07.379 Epaphroditus is referred to as a fellow soldier. 00:13:07.379 --> 00:13:07.500 Strong. 00:13:10.779 --> 00:13:11.340 Strong. 00:13:13.259 --> 00:13:13.820 Chosen. 00:13:15.980 --> 00:13:16.539 Secure. 00:13:17.200 --> 00:13:21.820 There are so many ways that Scripture describes those who belong to Christ. 00:13:22.539 --> 00:13:25.000 So many wonderful names that we have. 00:13:25.480 --> 00:13:27.039 So we don't have to walk around saying, 00:13:27.179 --> 00:13:30.559 well, I'm just an Epaphroditus. 00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:36.259 I am a chosen, loved, forgiven, child of God. 00:13:37.379 --> 00:13:39.740 Those are names that God gives us. 00:13:39.779 --> 00:13:40.860 A citizen of heaven. 00:13:41.059 --> 00:13:42.259 I am a new creation. 00:13:43.620 --> 00:13:46.500 So as a saint and a servant of Jesus Christ, 00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:48.899 trusted by the church, valuable to Paul, 00:13:49.980 --> 00:13:53.139 Epaphroditus is described in a few different terms here 00:13:53.139 --> 00:13:55.000 in this passage of Scripture. 00:13:56.220 --> 00:13:56.960 He says, 00:13:57.500 --> 00:13:58.179 Paul writes, 00:13:58.179 --> 00:14:01.320 I think it is necessary to send back to you, Epaphroditus, 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:06.559 my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier. 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:11.479 I would like to take just a few minutes to look at those different terms. 00:14:13.239 --> 00:14:13.839 Brother, 00:14:14.679 --> 00:14:15.559 or we could, 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:16.979 it is a generic term. 00:14:17.099 --> 00:14:18.979 It means brothers and sisters. 00:14:19.139 --> 00:14:21.339 It means belonging to the same family. 00:14:22.019 --> 00:14:24.099 It talks about fellowship. 00:14:24.100 --> 00:14:27.779 It talks about belonging. 00:14:28.580 --> 00:14:32.200 We've already heard this morning in the opening that Pastor Josh did 00:14:32.200 --> 00:14:34.720 about being part of the family of God, 00:14:34.840 --> 00:14:39.240 being welcomed and being here present as part of the family of God. 00:14:40.980 --> 00:14:41.639 You know, 00:14:41.700 --> 00:14:42.580 even years ago, 00:14:42.700 --> 00:14:45.120 before the advent of the internet, 00:14:45.580 --> 00:14:47.759 I was attending a conference, 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:52.379 and they were already talking about the fact that people, 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:54.539 more and more in our society, 00:14:54.539 --> 00:14:58.120 are choosing to what they called was cocoon. 00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:00.799 In other words, 00:15:01.259 --> 00:15:04.019 people are choosing to live in their own little world. 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:05.419 And that was, 00:15:05.559 --> 00:15:06.200 at that time, 00:15:06.279 --> 00:15:06.919 it was mostly, 00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:10.039 they talked more about cable TV and things like that, 00:15:10.039 --> 00:15:14.159 and the kind of entertainment that you can have just within your own home. 00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:16.659 And so you build this nice little fancy home, 00:15:17.459 --> 00:15:19.360 and particularly you see it in cities, 00:15:19.439 --> 00:15:19.740 don't you, 00:15:19.779 --> 00:15:23.240 where they have a little short driveway and a garage door. 00:15:24.860 --> 00:15:26.179 And the car drives up, 00:15:26.319 --> 00:15:27.079 the garage door opens, 00:15:27.159 --> 00:15:27.839 the car drives in, 00:15:27.899 --> 00:15:28.719 the garage door closes. 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:33.019 And that's how everybody lives in their own little cocoon. 00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:37.360 And they miss out on this whole sense of community. 00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:37.899 Of course, 00:15:38.019 --> 00:15:39.899 there are people that find their sense of community, 00:15:40.039 --> 00:15:41.199 with different involvements, 00:15:41.319 --> 00:15:42.019 whether it be work, 00:15:42.139 --> 00:15:43.120 whether it be recreation, 00:15:43.339 --> 00:15:45.679 whether it be a club of some kind. 00:15:47.779 --> 00:15:49.539 But society, 00:15:49.819 --> 00:15:51.279 so much at large, 00:15:51.659 --> 00:15:54.279 is living in this sense of isolation. 00:15:55.219 --> 00:15:57.500 And probably even more so since the internet, 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:00.319 and then of course with the whole COVID thing, 00:16:00.919 --> 00:16:04.480 there is a sense of people being separated so much from each other. 00:16:05.599 --> 00:16:08.139 And scripture talks so much about 00:16:08.139 --> 00:16:10.379 the importance of being connected, 00:16:11.159 --> 00:16:12.759 of being part of the family. 00:16:14.919 --> 00:16:15.519 You know what? 00:16:15.879 --> 00:16:17.620 The other night at our Bible study, 00:16:17.659 --> 00:16:19.879 we have a little Bible study group that meets in Hanley. 00:16:20.740 --> 00:16:23.539 And there were two different opinions expressed 00:16:23.539 --> 00:16:26.220 that led to a bit of an interesting discussion. 00:16:27.179 --> 00:16:28.539 Because we're talking about 00:16:28.539 --> 00:16:30.059 this term, 00:16:30.299 --> 00:16:32.240 being a child of God. 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:35.899 And one person spoke up 00:16:35.899 --> 00:16:36.720 and said, 00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:39.060 everyone is a child of God. 00:16:40.500 --> 00:16:41.299 And right away, 00:16:41.399 --> 00:16:42.480 somebody else spoke up and said, 00:16:42.580 --> 00:16:43.060 actually, 00:16:43.720 --> 00:16:46.399 only those who have received the gift of salvation 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:47.620 are children of God. 00:16:48.680 --> 00:16:51.759 And so there was a bit of a back and forth discussion about that. 00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:53.940 Granted, 00:16:54.100 --> 00:16:55.700 everyone is created by God, 00:16:55.860 --> 00:16:57.500 everyone is loved by God, 00:16:57.500 --> 00:17:00.299 but does the Bible really teach 00:17:00.299 --> 00:17:02.820 that everyone is a child of God? 00:17:04.339 --> 00:17:06.980 If you listen to Alan Jackson's country song 00:17:06.980 --> 00:17:08.819 that says, 00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:10.279 we're all God's children, 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:12.640 why can't we all be one big happy family? 00:17:12.779 --> 00:17:13.819 I see a Baptist, 00:17:14.019 --> 00:17:14.640 I see a Jew, 00:17:14.779 --> 00:17:15.380 I see a Mormon, 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:16.099 I see a Muslim, 00:17:16.200 --> 00:17:16.859 I see a Buddhist, 00:17:17.059 --> 00:17:17.720 I see a Hindu, 00:17:17.819 --> 00:17:18.680 and I see you. 00:17:18.839 --> 00:17:20.380 And we're all one big happy family. 00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:21.579 We're all children of God. 00:17:22.440 --> 00:17:23.279 Is that biblical? 00:17:23.279 --> 00:17:23.399 biblical? 00:17:26.279 --> 00:17:27.399 I didn't think so. 00:17:28.099 --> 00:17:29.099 So then we, 00:17:29.799 --> 00:17:30.879 in our Bible study, 00:17:31.420 --> 00:17:33.740 we looked at a few different scripture passages. 00:17:34.500 --> 00:17:36.740 And we looked at John 1, 00:17:36.920 --> 00:17:38.619 verse 12 and 13, 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:39.180 that says, 00:17:40.119 --> 00:17:42.519 yet to all who received him, 00:17:43.240 --> 00:17:44.960 to those who believed in his name, 00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:48.019 he gave the right to become children of God. 00:17:48.539 --> 00:17:50.399 Children born not of natural descent, 00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:51.500 nor of human decision, 00:17:51.619 --> 00:17:52.559 nor of a husband's will, 00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:55.279 but born of God. 00:17:56.059 --> 00:17:58.639 He gave the right to become children of God. 00:17:59.579 --> 00:18:02.259 And then there was Romans chapter 8, 00:18:02.879 --> 00:18:06.419 verses 15 to 17. 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:07.599 Beautiful verses. 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:13.000 Now it's interesting, 00:18:13.099 --> 00:18:13.980 when I was doing my study, 00:18:14.059 --> 00:18:15.480 I was using my big reference Bible, 00:18:15.579 --> 00:18:16.740 now I'm using a different one, 00:18:16.759 --> 00:18:17.879 so I've got to look on the page 00:18:17.879 --> 00:18:20.059 to find where the verses are. 00:18:20.059 --> 00:18:23.659 Romans 8, 15. 00:18:24.379 --> 00:18:26.960 For you did not receive a spirit 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:31.079 that makes you a slave again to fear, 00:18:31.179 --> 00:18:33.779 but you received the spirit of sonship. 00:18:34.159 --> 00:18:35.220 And by him we cry, 00:18:35.460 --> 00:18:35.859 Abba, 00:18:36.019 --> 00:18:36.379 Father. 00:18:36.839 --> 00:18:39.259 The spirit himself testifies with our spirit 00:18:39.259 --> 00:18:40.579 that we are God's children. 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:42.819 Now if we are children, 00:18:43.139 --> 00:18:44.480 then we are heirs, 00:18:45.079 --> 00:18:46.079 heirs of God, 00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:47.599 and co-heirs with Christ. 00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:50.659 If indeed we share with his sufferings, 00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:53.039 in order that we may also share 00:18:53.039 --> 00:18:54.899 in his glory. 00:18:55.799 --> 00:18:58.799 For he adopted as sons and daughters of God. 00:19:00.159 --> 00:19:01.799 Romans chapter 9, verse 26, 00:19:02.519 --> 00:19:03.659 says a very similar thing. 00:19:03.740 --> 00:19:05.699 Quoting the prophet of Hosea, 00:19:05.799 --> 00:19:06.079 it says, 00:19:06.079 --> 00:19:19.679 Galatians chapter 3, 00:19:19.679 --> 00:19:23.359 verse 26 to 29, 00:19:23.919 --> 00:19:27.859 talks again about being part of this family of God. 00:19:27.859 --> 00:19:32.240 You are all sons, 00:19:32.359 --> 00:19:34.119 or we could use the generic term, 00:19:34.459 --> 00:19:35.339 you're all children, 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:38.419 of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 00:19:39.019 --> 00:19:41.959 For all of you who were baptized into Christ 00:19:41.959 --> 00:19:43.939 have clothed yourself with Christ. 00:19:44.539 --> 00:19:46.159 There is neither Jew nor Greek, 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:47.000 slave nor free, 00:19:47.159 --> 00:19:47.839 male or female, 00:19:48.359 --> 00:19:50.740 for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 00:19:51.299 --> 00:19:52.500 If you belong to Christ, 00:19:52.599 --> 00:19:54.399 then you are Abraham's seed and heirs 00:19:54.399 --> 00:19:56.639 according to the promise. 00:19:56.640 --> 00:19:59.220 So Paul makes a point of saying, 00:19:59.320 --> 00:20:01.420 Epaphroditus is a brother. 00:20:02.100 --> 00:20:03.840 And he describes him as someone 00:20:03.840 --> 00:20:05.960 who is a beloved brother. 00:20:06.340 --> 00:20:07.460 Then he goes on to say, 00:20:08.020 --> 00:20:08.820 he's not only a brother, 00:20:08.940 --> 00:20:10.620 but he is a fellow worker. 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:13.700 Now Paul often uses this term, 00:20:13.820 --> 00:20:14.500 fellow worker, 00:20:14.980 --> 00:20:17.460 when he refers to others 00:20:17.460 --> 00:20:19.180 that are part of the family of God 00:20:19.180 --> 00:20:20.520 that he has a connection with. 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:24.000 It comes out particularly strongly 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:26.540 in 1 Corinthians chapter 3. 00:20:27.620 --> 00:20:28.960 Now the church in Corinth, 00:20:29.259 --> 00:20:31.660 again a church that Paul had helped to establish 00:20:31.660 --> 00:20:32.660 in his ministry, 00:20:33.140 --> 00:20:35.640 was going through a bit of struggle. 00:20:36.660 --> 00:20:39.600 And in some ways I'm almost a bit glad 00:20:39.600 --> 00:20:41.600 that the early church had some struggles 00:20:41.600 --> 00:20:43.940 because that means that Paul wrote letters 00:20:43.940 --> 00:20:46.280 to help them correct what was wrong. 00:20:46.380 --> 00:20:47.900 And so then we have that information 00:20:47.900 --> 00:20:50.640 that not only is it part of human life 00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:51.440 to have some struggles, 00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:53.920 but God's word addresses ways 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:55.059 to handle those struggles. 00:20:56.120 --> 00:20:57.519 And so this part of the struggle 00:20:57.519 --> 00:20:59.720 that the early church in Corinth was having 00:20:59.720 --> 00:21:02.840 was that they had some divisions. 00:21:04.039 --> 00:21:05.360 They had some people that said, 00:21:05.460 --> 00:21:06.820 well, I follow Paul. 00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:10.400 Others said, well, I follow Apollos. 00:21:10.580 --> 00:21:12.220 And others said, well, I follow Cephas. 00:21:12.460 --> 00:21:13.779 And then of course there were some 00:21:13.779 --> 00:21:15.200 that were super spiritual that said, 00:21:15.259 --> 00:21:16.480 well, I follow Jesus. 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:18.680 And Paul writes and he says, 00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:21.500 what are all these people? 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:23.819 We're all fellow workers, 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:26.160 but we're all trying to accomplish the same thing. 00:21:26.380 --> 00:21:28.900 One person waters, one person seeds, 00:21:29.380 --> 00:21:31.420 one person tends to the growth, 00:21:31.620 --> 00:21:33.539 but it's God that makes the growth 00:21:33.539 --> 00:21:35.059 and God gives the increase. 00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:37.480 And then he goes on to say, 00:21:37.579 --> 00:21:39.039 and there is no other foundation 00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:41.519 that can be laid than Jesus Christ, 00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:43.619 but each one of us is a fellow worker 00:21:43.619 --> 00:21:45.619 that builds on that foundation. 00:21:47.139 --> 00:21:49.160 So Paul took them right back to the basics 00:21:49.160 --> 00:21:51.619 and he said, if it's not about Jesus, 00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:54.000 you're on the wrong track. 00:21:54.359 --> 00:21:56.680 It's not about this person or that person. 00:21:56.940 --> 00:21:59.920 These people are all important workers for God. 00:22:00.019 --> 00:22:01.480 They're all fellow workers. 00:22:01.960 --> 00:22:02.940 We're all co-workers. 00:22:03.240 --> 00:22:04.400 We're all working together. 00:22:04.539 --> 00:22:05.160 We're all building. 00:22:05.299 --> 00:22:05.859 We're all planting. 00:22:05.980 --> 00:22:07.019 We're all doing our part. 00:22:07.819 --> 00:22:10.339 We're all looking after the well-being of the church. 00:22:10.339 --> 00:22:13.919 We're working together to bring others into the church, 00:22:14.199 --> 00:22:19.319 but it is God that is ultimately doing all the work. 00:22:19.419 --> 00:22:20.339 It's all about him. 00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:24.279 How effective is an evangelist's work 00:22:24.279 --> 00:22:26.839 if there's no nurturing that happens after that? 00:22:28.199 --> 00:22:30.259 How does a church stay healthy and excited 00:22:30.259 --> 00:22:31.359 if there's no growth? 00:22:32.439 --> 00:22:33.899 They all have to be fellow workers. 00:22:34.019 --> 00:22:35.399 We all have to be working together. 00:22:36.959 --> 00:22:38.519 But one of the things that happens 00:22:38.519 --> 00:22:40.259 when you have a group of people working together 00:22:40.259 --> 00:22:43.660 and I'm sure many of you have had some experience with this 00:22:43.660 --> 00:22:46.200 is that you don't always see eye to eye. 00:22:47.259 --> 00:22:49.200 We spent some years on the mission field 00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:51.680 and one day I was chatting 00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:56.519 with a fellow who had come to be a missionary school teacher. 00:22:56.660 --> 00:22:58.240 He was teaching the missionary children. 00:22:58.240 --> 00:23:03.180 And I knew that there was some conflict with parents 00:23:03.180 --> 00:23:06.700 about something that had happened in the school. 00:23:07.480 --> 00:23:10.859 So I went to chat with him a little bit this one day 00:23:10.859 --> 00:23:12.519 and I said, you know, how are you doing, Jerry? 00:23:12.660 --> 00:23:14.819 Well, he says, I didn't sleep last night 00:23:14.819 --> 00:23:17.579 because this conflict was weighing on me. 00:23:17.700 --> 00:23:20.319 And I was praying and I was trying to figure out in my mind 00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:21.839 how can we handle this conflict 00:23:21.839 --> 00:23:25.359 so that it doesn't become bigger and be a bigger problem 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:27.259 and end up being a bad witness. 00:23:30.339 --> 00:23:32.839 And I thought, you know, isn't that the way it goes? 00:23:32.919 --> 00:23:34.319 When there's conflict, what happens? 00:23:34.419 --> 00:23:38.559 All of our energy, all of our focus gets focused on that 00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:41.439 and we lose our sense of moving ahead. 00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:48.279 That's one of the ways that our unity, 00:23:49.180 --> 00:23:50.600 our sense of belonging, 00:23:50.740 --> 00:23:53.059 our sense of being part of the family can be disrupted 00:23:53.059 --> 00:23:54.320 and can be hurt. 00:23:55.660 --> 00:23:57.880 But contrast that with the freedom and the joy 00:23:57.880 --> 00:23:59.140 that comes when there's harmony, 00:23:59.960 --> 00:24:01.980 when everybody's working together well 00:24:01.980 --> 00:24:04.320 and things are healthy in the body. 00:24:04.700 --> 00:24:06.600 Just think of how freeing that is 00:24:06.600 --> 00:24:07.500 and how joyful it is 00:24:07.500 --> 00:24:10.660 and how we feel that we are fellow workers 00:24:10.660 --> 00:24:13.279 and we are working together for a common good. 00:24:13.799 --> 00:24:15.759 And that's just such a joyful time. 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:20.099 And then Paul uses the term not only brother 00:24:20.099 --> 00:24:22.099 or part of the family of God, 00:24:22.200 --> 00:24:23.519 not only fellow worker, 00:24:24.019 --> 00:24:27.000 he also uses the term fellow soldier. 00:24:29.160 --> 00:24:31.900 Obviously, that implies that there is a battle going on. 00:24:32.220 --> 00:24:33.339 There's a struggle going on. 00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:34.859 I don't have to explain that to you 00:24:34.859 --> 00:24:37.259 because I'm sure each of you in your everyday life 00:24:37.259 --> 00:24:40.419 know what it's like to be part of that spiritual battle, 00:24:40.779 --> 00:24:43.079 that tug between good and evil. 00:24:46.879 --> 00:24:50.439 But how does the devil wage his battle against the church? 00:24:52.479 --> 00:24:53.879 Well, I've already mentioned 00:24:53.879 --> 00:24:56.000 when he brings conflict or disunity, 00:24:56.599 --> 00:24:59.119 that creates problems within the church. 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:04.419 Sometimes he causes it by distractions. 00:25:05.119 --> 00:25:07.319 Remember when Jesus talked about the four soils? 00:25:08.259 --> 00:25:09.000 He said, you know, 00:25:09.079 --> 00:25:10.579 some of the seed fell on hard ground 00:25:10.579 --> 00:25:12.419 and the birds came and devoured and didn't grow 00:25:12.419 --> 00:25:14.219 and some fell among thorns 00:25:14.219 --> 00:25:15.879 and the thorns grew up and choked it. 00:25:16.699 --> 00:25:19.319 And some fell on the rocky ground. 00:25:19.479 --> 00:25:20.579 It sprang up quickly, 00:25:20.759 --> 00:25:21.759 but it didn't have deep roots 00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:22.779 and so it withered and died. 00:25:23.159 --> 00:25:24.619 Some fell on good ground. 00:25:25.719 --> 00:25:27.479 And then the disciples came to Jesus and said, 00:25:27.480 --> 00:25:30.220 well, what was that little story about? 00:25:30.279 --> 00:25:31.400 What was that parable about? 00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:33.200 And he explained it to them 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:35.000 and he said about the one kind of seed 00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:36.220 that the thorns had choked out. 00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:36.620 He said, 00:25:37.599 --> 00:25:39.220 people receive the word, 00:25:39.779 --> 00:25:41.660 but the cares of this world 00:25:41.660 --> 00:25:45.180 and the desire for riches choke out the word. 00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:48.680 Satan will try to distract us 00:25:48.680 --> 00:25:50.000 with so many different ways. 00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:52.640 We can be busy with a lot of good things 00:25:52.640 --> 00:25:54.579 and we can end up missing the best things. 00:25:54.579 --> 00:25:57.379 And so we need to be tuned into God. 00:25:57.899 --> 00:25:59.679 So thankful that it was mentioned 00:25:59.679 --> 00:26:02.000 that today is the anniversary of Pentecost 00:26:02.000 --> 00:26:05.199 because we wouldn't be able to live this Christian life 00:26:05.199 --> 00:26:06.980 without the empowering of the Holy Spirit. 00:26:07.579 --> 00:26:11.579 To recognize when we're devoting ourselves 00:26:11.579 --> 00:26:14.079 to not the best things, 00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:16.279 maybe good things, but not the best things. 00:26:16.679 --> 00:26:18.139 So Satan can distract us. 00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:22.379 Satan can distract us by helping us feel content 00:26:22.380 --> 00:26:25.760 when we're actually being complacent and apathetic. 00:26:27.040 --> 00:26:28.780 Godly contentment is commendable, 00:26:29.340 --> 00:26:34.480 but apathy just deadens everything. 00:26:35.700 --> 00:26:37.220 Years ago, I remember reading 00:26:37.220 --> 00:26:39.080 The Normal Christian Life, 00:26:39.140 --> 00:26:41.160 a book written by a Chinese Christian 00:26:41.160 --> 00:26:42.200 named Wachbun Ni. 00:26:42.920 --> 00:26:46.280 And he talked about an average Christian life 00:26:46.280 --> 00:26:48.820 and he talked about the normal Christian life. 00:26:48.819 --> 00:26:51.539 And he said, the average Christian life 00:26:51.539 --> 00:26:52.639 is when you look around 00:26:52.639 --> 00:26:54.119 and you see everybody else 00:26:54.119 --> 00:26:55.359 just kind of doing their life 00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:56.700 and you're just kind of going along 00:26:56.700 --> 00:26:58.679 and doing an everyday life. 00:26:58.879 --> 00:26:59.599 And you think, you know, 00:26:59.700 --> 00:27:00.960 I'm as good as the next guy. 00:27:01.539 --> 00:27:02.240 I'm average. 00:27:02.419 --> 00:27:03.179 It's good enough. 00:27:04.039 --> 00:27:05.559 But he says, then you go to scripture 00:27:05.559 --> 00:27:07.359 and you read a description 00:27:07.359 --> 00:27:09.359 of what it means to live a life 00:27:09.359 --> 00:27:11.779 empowered by the Holy Spirit of God, 00:27:12.519 --> 00:27:14.740 a life that is totally dedicated to God, 00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:16.939 a life that is yielded and surrendered 00:27:16.940 --> 00:27:18.299 in every way that you can. 00:27:18.900 --> 00:27:21.400 And he says, and that is the normal Christian life, 00:27:21.600 --> 00:27:23.320 not the average Christian life. 00:27:24.779 --> 00:27:28.240 He said that we can become complacent. 00:27:28.320 --> 00:27:30.980 We can be content being apathetic. 00:27:31.759 --> 00:27:33.240 And Satan will use us as a tool 00:27:33.240 --> 00:27:34.519 to just slow us down 00:27:34.519 --> 00:27:35.779 and make us sluggish 00:27:35.779 --> 00:27:37.680 and put the church to sleep. 00:27:38.700 --> 00:27:40.660 And that's one of the ways he attacks us. 00:27:41.779 --> 00:27:43.480 And as a good soldier, 00:27:43.600 --> 00:27:44.920 as a fellow soldier of Christ, 00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:46.240 we have to be aware of that. 00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:48.539 That's one of the tactics he uses. 00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:51.140 And then, of course, 00:27:51.200 --> 00:27:52.160 we know that Satan, 00:27:52.980 --> 00:27:58.000 his biggest way of fighting against us 00:27:58.000 --> 00:28:00.640 as Christians is he attacks the truth. 00:28:02.099 --> 00:28:03.720 One of his first lines 00:28:03.720 --> 00:28:05.460 in the Garden of Eden to Eve was, 00:28:06.019 --> 00:28:07.880 did God really say? 00:28:08.920 --> 00:28:09.579 And he implied, 00:28:09.720 --> 00:28:10.779 maybe God said those words, 00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:12.680 but maybe he didn't quite mean it that way. 00:28:12.680 --> 00:28:16.140 And that's the way he attacks us, 00:28:16.420 --> 00:28:21.400 by getting us to believe something that is not true. 00:28:22.340 --> 00:28:24.440 There's a little line that's, 00:28:24.440 --> 00:28:27.080 sometimes it's attributed to the Nazi Joseph Goebbels, 00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:29.600 sometimes it's attributed to Hitler's or to Lenin. 00:28:29.860 --> 00:28:32.420 And there's variations of this idea floating around 00:28:32.420 --> 00:28:33.720 that say, 00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:36.380 repeat a lie often enough, 00:28:36.380 --> 00:28:38.660 and it becomes believed as truth. 00:28:39.360 --> 00:28:40.860 Or another version of it is, 00:28:40.980 --> 00:28:43.740 repeat a lie big enough and frequently enough, 00:28:43.820 --> 00:28:45.980 and eventually people come to believe it is true. 00:28:47.420 --> 00:28:49.120 Happens over and over and over again, right? 00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:50.080 We hear these things, 00:28:50.140 --> 00:28:50.780 we hear these things, 00:28:50.820 --> 00:28:52.900 and finally we just assume they must be true, 00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:54.260 because we've heard them so often. 00:28:54.259 --> 00:28:59.879 And Satan uses this as a way of derailing us 00:28:59.879 --> 00:29:00.900 in our Christian faith. 00:29:01.960 --> 00:29:05.700 A good soldier is trained to notice danger 00:29:05.700 --> 00:29:08.839 and prepared to defend against it. 00:29:10.099 --> 00:29:12.859 So Paul describes Epaphroditus as brother, 00:29:13.460 --> 00:29:15.379 fellow worker, fellow soldier, 00:29:15.900 --> 00:29:18.500 willing to serve at personal cost, 00:29:19.220 --> 00:29:21.759 valuable to Paul and to the church in Philippi, 00:29:21.759 --> 00:29:25.099 because he was not defined by a Greek name, 00:29:25.579 --> 00:29:27.240 but by a new name, 00:29:28.079 --> 00:29:29.460 child of God. 00:29:31.379 --> 00:29:32.339 What's your name? 00:29:32.339 --> 00:29:32.359 What's your name?